Apparatus, systems and methods for acquiring commentary about a media content event

ABSTRACT

A query session system and method is operable to determine a current location of a consumer conversation acquisition system when the consumer conversation acquisition system is a mobile electronic device or determine a current operation of the consumer conversation acquisition system when the consumer conversation acquisition system is stationary. Stored state information corresponding to the determined location or operation is accessed that identifies one of a receptive state of the consumer, an unreceptive state of the consumer, or optionally an indeterminate state of the consumer. The query session is presented to the consumer when the consumer is the receptive state. A query session presents a series of audible questions to the consumer that pertain to a subject media content event that the consumer has previously consumed. Responses of the consumer to each one of the presented audible questions of the query session are acquired and are saved.

BACKGROUND

Media devices, such as a set top box, a stereo, a television, a computersystem, a game system, or the like, are often configured to present aparticular media content event to a user. Alternatively, a user may goto a theatre or the like to view (interchangeably referred to herein asconsume) the media content event.

Typically, a media content event presents theme-based visual and audiocontent to a user for their enjoyment and/or for informative purposes.Examples of such theme-based content includes movies, films, serialprogramming, sporting events, documentaries, newscasts, religiousprograms, commercials (typically of short duration with advertisingcontent), or the like. Serial programming may present a continuing plotand/or theme, often with the same cast of actors, in a sequentialepisode-by-episode basis that is available periodically. Advertisements,commercials or the like may be interspersed within the media contentevent.

Producers (interchangeably referred to herein as the “studio”) of themedia content events have limited access to their customers who haveviewed their produced media content event (interchangeably referred toherein as a “consumer” who has “consumed” the media content event).Although various entities, such as movie critics or the like, provideopinion-based feedback to the studio concerning the reaction of theconsuming viewers, the studio does not have direct access to theseconsumers.

Other sources of consumer feedback are available to the studio. Forexample, various social media platforms exist where consumers maydiscuss their opinions about a particular viewed media content event.However, the studio may not have access to such social media platforms.And, it may be difficult for the studio to monitor and then harvestoptions and commentary made by community members. Even if the studiocould access individual consumers and obtain their opinion about aviewed media content event, accessing and obtaining information fromhundreds of, or even thousands of, individual consumers is a verydifficult and time consuming endeavor.

Additionally, prior to and/or after viewing a particular media contentevent, the consumer may wish to hear the opinions of other consumers. Inmany instances, an individual consumer has access to media content eventreviews that have been generated by other entities. Alternatively, oradditionally, they may access a social media platform to obtain opinionsabout the media content event that have been provided by the communitymembers of the social media platform. However, this is also a difficultand tedious task for an individual consumer.

Further, the studio and/or consumer, when accessing an opinion ofanother consumer, may not know if they are receiving a genuine andhonest opinion about the media content event. Nor will they know if theopinion is representative of a general consensus by a larger populationof consumers. And, accessing and digesting a large number of opinionsfor many different consumers to identify genuine, honest andrepresentative viewpoints cannot be practically be done in a real time,or near real time, basis.

Accordingly, there is a need in the arts to provide a user-friendlyenvironment that facilitates the ability of the studio and/or anindividual consumer to access an opinion about a consumed media contentevent that is genuine, honest and representative.

SUMMARY

Systems and methods of querying a consumer about a subject media contentevent are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment is operable to determine acurrent location of a consumer conversation acquisition system when theconsumer conversation acquisition system is a mobile electronic deviceor determine a current operation of the consumer conversationacquisition system when the consumer conversation acquisition system isstationary. Stored state information corresponding to the determinedlocation or operation is accessed that identifies one of a receptivestate of the consumer, an unreceptive state of the consumer, oroptionally an indeterminate state of the consumer. The query session ispresented to the consumer when the consumer is the receptive state. Aquery session presents a series of audible questions to the consumerthat pertain to the subject media content event that the consumer haspreviously consumed. Responses of the consumer to each one of thepresented audible questions of the query session are acquired and aresaved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred and alternative embodiments are described in detail below withreference to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a conversational avatarsystem; and

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a conversational avatarsystem 100. A non-limiting example of the conversational avatar system100 comprises a conversational avatar generation system 104, an optionalconsumer audience reaction acquisition system 106, and a consumerconversation acquisition system 108. The conversational avatargeneration system 104, the consumer audience reaction acquisitionssystem 106, and the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 arecommunicatively coupled together via a suitable communication network110.

In practice, embodiments of the conversational avatar system 100 areconfigured to conduct a “virtual conversation” with an individual (aconsumer) who has viewed (consumed) a particular theme-based mediacontent event to acquire their commentary about the media content event.The virtual conversation, interchangeably referred to herein as a querysession, is conducted with the consumer by presenting an interactiveconversational avatar 102 to the consumer. A novel aspect of theconversational avatar system 100 is that the query session is initiatedwhen a determination is made that the consumer is highly likely torespond to the query session and/or interact with the interactiveconversational avatar 102. When a determination is made that theconsumer is not likely, or at least is somewhat likely, to respond tothe query session and/or interact with the interactive conversationalavatar 102, the query session is not initiated by the conversationalavatar system 100. In the various embodiments, the determination ofwhether the consumer is likely to respond to the query session and/orinteract with the interactive conversational avatar 102 is based onlearning by a suitable artificial intelligence (AI) program that learnsabout the consumer state (wherein the consumer state is defined as beinglikely or unlikely to respond to the query session and/or interact withthe interactive conversational avatar 102). The consumer state isdetermined based on, in part, a determined current location and/oractivity of the consumer. A location activity is defined herein as anactivity that the consumer has been engaged in while previously at thatassociated location

During a query session, the conversational avatar 102 asks variousquestions and/or presents various comments pertaining to the subjectmedia content event, a particular scene or event in the subject mediacontent event, and/or a storyline that is presented in the subject mediacontent event. By “asking” the consumer questions about the subjectmedia content scene, event and/or story line, the consumer may expresstheir opinions and viewpoints about the subject media content event.Similarly, by stating a comment about the subject media content event,the consumer may respond with their opinions and viewpoints that arerelated to the comment.

The consumer's opinions and viewpoints may be expressed as verbalcommentary (interchangeably referred to herein as a verbal response)that is spoken by the consumer. Alternatively, or additionally, theconsumer's opinions and viewpoints may be expressed as non-verbalactions made by the consumer. Non-limiting examples of non-verbalactions expressed by the consumer may include facial expressions (suchas a smile that expresses satisfaction or happiness, a frown thatexpresses dissatisfaction or disappointment, a raised eyebrow thatexpresses a question or confusion, etc.) and/or a bodily gesture (suchas hand waving that expresses excitement, a nodding of their head thatexpresses consent or agreement, clapping that expresses satisfaction orappreciation, etc.).

The expressed consumer opinions and viewpoints are acquired by theconsumer audience reaction acquisition system 106 and/or the consumerconversation acquisition system 108, and are then communicated to theconversational avatar generation system 104 for processing. Over time,the opinions and viewpoints for many hundreds of consumers, or eventhousands of consumers, can be acquired to identify genuine, honest andrepresentative viewpoints about a subject media content event, aparticular scene or event in the subject media content event, and/or astoryline that is presented in the subject media content event. Arepresentative opinion and/or viewpoint can then be determined that is agenuine, honest and representative viewpoints of a population ofconsumers. This information can then be made available to the studio oranother consumer.

In an example embodiment, consumer opinions and viewpoints may beacquired from one or more sources. The optional first source is toharvest (acquire) information from the consumer(s) while the consumer(s)is viewing (consuming) the subject media content event. The consumeraudience reaction acquisition system 106 comprises one or more imagecapture devices 112, one or more microphones 114, a consumer reactionmanager 116, and a communication network (CN) interface 118.

The consumer audience reaction acquisition system 106 may be located ina media content presentation environment 120, which may be any suitablepublic or private location. In one example implementation, the mediacontent presentation environment 120 is a public theatre or the likewhere a plurality of consumers 122 are concurrently viewing the subjectmedia content event that is being presented to them by a media contentevent presentation system 124. Here, the media content eventpresentation system 124 may be a theatre projection system that presentsthe video (visual) portion of the subject media content event on a largescreen or display that is concurrently viewable by an audience. Theaudio portion of the subject media content event may be presented usinga plurality of speakers that emit sound that is heard by the audience.

In a theatre-based media content presentation environment 120, aplurality of image capture devices 112, commonly known as cameras,capture (acquire) a video or a series of still images of the audience122 and/or of one or more individual consumers 122. The microphone(s)114 capture (acquire) sounds that are present in the media contentpresentation environment 120. The captured images and sounds are saved(recorded) into a suitable memory medium so that recorded video consumeractions and recorded sounds can be time-wise synchronized together. Therecorded video and audio information are time synchronized togetherusing any suitable time reference(s). Thus, if the audience 122 reactsto presentation of a particular scene or event, their verbal commentarycan be acquired by the microphone(s) 114 and their non-verbal reactionscan be acquired by the image capture device(s) 112.

The media content event presentation system 124 is in communication withthe consumer reaction manager 116. The media content event presentationsystem 124 communicates presentation time information that identifieswhen particular portions of the subject media content event are beingpresented to the audience 122. Presentation time information for thepresentation of particular scenes, events, or story lines of the subjectmedia content event is then time synchronized with the recorded videoand/or audio information that is acquired from the audience 122.

Any suitable presentation time information may be used for timesynchronization of the presented subject media content event and thevideo and/or audio information acquired from the audience 122. Forexample, but not limited to, presentation time stamps, sceneidentification information and/or other meta data embedded in thesubject media content event, may be used for time synchronizationpurposes. Alternatively, or additionally, real-time information from aclock (not shown) may be used for time synchronization (where a clocktime is used to define a presentation time of a particular portion ofthe presenting subject media content event, and where the same clocktime is associated with the acquired video and/or audio reaction of theaudience).

The consumer reaction manager 116 then communicates the acquired timesynchronized video, audio, and scene/event/story line information, viathe communication network interface 118 that is communicatively coupledto the communication network 110, to the conversational avatargeneration system 104. The communication network interface 118 may beany suitable wireless or wire-based interface that communicativelycouples the consumer audience reaction acquisition system 106 to thecommunication network 110.

The communication network 110 is illustrated as a generic communicationsystem. In one embodiment, the communication network 110 comprises acellular telephone system, such as a radio frequency (RF) wirelesssystem. Accordingly, the communication network interface 118 includes asuitable transceiver device (not shown) that communicated informationwirelessly or over a wire-based connector to the communication network110. Alternatively, or additionally, the communication system 156 may bea telephony system, the Internet, a Wi-fi system, a microwavecommunication system, a fiber optics system, an intranet system, a localaccess network (LAN) system, an Ethernet system, a cable system, a radiofrequency system, a cellular system, an infrared system, a satellitesystem, or a hybrid system comprised of multiple types of communicationmedia. Additionally, embodiments of the media device 104 may beimplemented to communicate using other types of communicationtechnologies, such as but not limited to, digital subscriber loop (DSL),X.25, Internet Protocol (IP), Ethernet, Integrated Services DigitalNetwork (ISDN) and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). Also, embodimentsof the media device 104 may be configured to communicate overcombination systems having a plurality of segments which employdifferent formats for each segment that employ different technologies oneach segment.

The example conversational avatar generation system 104 comprises acommunication network interface 126, a conversational avatar generator128, a conversational avatar manager 130, a consumer and audiencereaction storage device 132, a consumer conversation storage device 134,and a media content event (MCE) scene, event, and story line storagedevice 136. In some embodiments, the storage devices 132, 134 and/or 136are integrated together as a single storage device, and/or areintegrated with other storage deices that store other information. Insome embodiments, the conversational avatar generator 128 and theconversational avatar manager 130 may be integrated together, and/or maybe integrated with other logic. Other conversational avatar generationsystems 104 may include some, or may omit some, of the above-describedmedia processing components. Further, additional components notdescribed herein may be included in alternative embodiments. Thecommunication network interface 126 may be similar to, or even that sameas, the above-described communication network interface 116.

In the context of this specification, the storage devices include a“computer-readable medium” that can be any means that can contain,store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or inconnection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.The computer readable medium can be, for example but not limited to, anelectronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. Morespecific examples (a nonexhaustive list) of the computer-readable mediumwould include the following: an electrical connection (electronic)having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic), arandom access memory (RAM) (magnetic), a read-only memory (ROM)(magnetic), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flashmemory) (magnetic), an optical fiber (optical), and a portable compactdisc read-only memory (CDROM) (optical). The computer-readable mediumcould even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program isprinted, as the program can be electronically captured, via for instanceoptical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled,interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary,and then stored in a computer memory. Further, the storage devicemediums may be commonly located, may include a plurality of memorymediums commonly located, and/or may include a plurality of memorymediums that are distributed among different locations.

In the various embodiments, the conversational avatar generation system104 then receives the time synchronized video, audio, andscene/event/story line information, (via the communication networkinterface 118 that is communicatively coupled to the communicationnetwork 110) from the consumer audience reaction acquisition system 106.The conversational avatar generation system 104 stores the received timesynchronized video, audio, and scene/event/story line information forthe subject media content event (which is identified by a suitableidentifier of the associated subject media content event) in theconsumer and audience reaction storage device 132. This information maythen be later processed to identify a representative opinion and/orviewpoint that can then be determined to be genuine, honest andrepresentative viewpoints of a population of consumers 122.

In some situations, the reaction of one or more consumers viewing thesubject media content event may be obtained at a private location. Forexample, one or more consumers may be viewing the subject media contentevent at their home or residence. Here, the media content eventpresentation system 124 may include a set top box (STB), stereos,surround-sound receivers, radios, televisions (TVs), digital video disc(DVD) players, digital video recorders (DVRs), cellular phones equippedwith video functionality, personal device assistants (PDAs), gameplaying devices, or personal computers (PCs) that are configured topresent a video-based media content event that is received in a mediacontent stream. In some embodiments, the consumer audience reactionacquisition system 106 may be a stand-alone device that iscommunicatively coupled to one or more components of the media contentevent presentation system 124. Alternatively, the consumer audiencereaction acquisition system 106, or even one or more the componentsthereof, may be integrated into one or more of the components of themedia content event presentation system 124.

Another source of opinions and viewpoints of the consumers of thesubject media content event is to acquire (harvest) verbal responsesduring one or more “conversations” with an individual consumer 138 or arelatively small group of individual consumers 138. Optionally,non-verbal responses may also be acquired.

To acquire the opinions and viewpoints of the consumer 138, theindividual consumer 138 or the relatively small group of individualconsumers 138 are presented with a query session after they haveconsumed the subject media content event. A query session comprises aseries of questions and/or comments presented by the conversationalavatar 102. The individual consumer 138 or the relatively small group ofindividual consumers 138 are collectively referred to herein as the“consumer 138” for convenience. Presentation of the query session andthe harvesting of the response of the consumer 138 is managed by theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108.

In practice, the series of questions and/or comments are initiallyconstructed by the studio or a studio representative who is familiarwith the questions and the issues that the studio wishes to explore witha consumer 138 during a query session for a particular media contentevent. Accordingly, a series of query session questions and/or commentsare developed for many different media content events. Alternatively, oradditionally, query session questions and/or comments may be developedfor a scene, an event and/or a story line of a particular media contentevent. When the subject media content event is one of the plurality ofmedia content events for which a query session has been defined, thenthe stored series of questions and/or comments can be accessed forpresentation to the consumer 138. One skilled in the art appreciatesthat then number of questions and/or comments for any particular mediacontent event, which may even be directed to a particular scene, eventand/or a story line, are nearly limitless. Further, artificialintelligence (AI) system may be used to augment, revise and/or generatenew questions and/or comments based on input from the audience 122and/or from other consumers 138. The generated query session questionsand/or comments are associated with a media content event, andoptionally one or more of a scene, an event and/or a story line of themedia content event, and are then saved at the conversational avatargeneration system 104, such as in the media content event scene, event,and story line storage device 136 or in another suitable storage medium.

Further, the identity of a particular consumer 138 participating in aquery session is known. Preferably, the identifier of the consumerconversation acquisition system 108 is associated with the name, accountnumber, or other identifier of the consumer 138. Any suitable means maybe used to identify the particular consumer 138.

Further, in some situations, the particular consumer 138 may have beenobserved when they were a member of the audience 122 and/or when theyconsumed the subject media content event on another media presentationdevice. For example, the consumer 138 may have made a particular verbaland/or nonverbal response to a particular presented scene, event and/ora story line of the subject media content event during its presentation.Here, the time of reaction of the consumer is correlated with thepresentation time of the scene, event and/or story line of interest.Embodiments may then optionally select query session questions and/orcomments that correlate the observed reactions of the consumer 138 suchthat a particular series of questions and/or comments may be presentedduring the query session to learn more about why the consumer 138reacted to particular scenes, events and/or a story lines of the subjectmedia content event.

To facilitate interaction between the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108 and the consumer 138 during a query session, theconversational avatar generation system 104 presents an interactive and“intelligent” conversational avatar 138 that is able to dynamicallyinteract with the consumer 138. The conversational avatar 138, during aquery session, presents the series of questions and/or provides commentsthat are intended to elicit a response from the consumer 138 during thequery session. In practice, multiple query sessions over time may beconducted with a consumer 138. In some situations, individuals in therelatively small group of individual consumers 138 may be different fromone query session to the next query session. In some embodiments,identity information for the queried individual consumer 138 orindividuals of the relatively small group of individual consumers 138may be optionally obtained and saved with their opinions and viewpoints.

In some situations, the conversational avatar 102 is an interactivegraphical avatar that has a visual portion that is presented on adisplay (not shown) and that has an audio portion that is presented fromspeakers. Here, the consumer 138 may then interact with a visual type ofgraphical-based avatar that is asking them questions, that is makingverbal comments, and/or that is presenting non-verbal queues (such asmaking facial expressions, making hand gestures, or the like). Thedisplay may be, for example, a monitor a or television display thatpresents a two-dimensional, conversational avatar 102. In othersituations, the conversational avatar 102 may be presented busing avirtual reality presentation system that presented a virtual worldconversational avatar 102 in two dimensions or even in three dimensionalspace.

In other situations, the conversational avatar 102 is presented as anaudio-only avatar (interchangeably referred to herein as an audio bot).Here, the avatar audio bot presents audible questions and/or commentsfrom a speaker that emits sounds that are heard by the consumer 138.

As defined herein, the conversational avatar 102 may be agraphical-based avatar with video and audio portions, or may be anavatar audio bot with only an audio portion, depending upon the natureof the particular query session being conducted with the consumer 138.The conversational avatar 102, in FIG. 1, is conceptually represented asa white fill oval for convenience.

In practice, embodiments have a priori knowledge of the plurality ofmedia content events that have been consumed by the consumer 138.Knowledge of which particular media content event that have beenconsumed may be obtained from a variety of sources. For example, theatreticket purchase information may be obtained for the consumer 138. Asubscription-based service (such as available through a satellite orcable type content delivery service) may provide viewing informationabout the consumer 138. In some situations, activity of the consumer 138in a social media community may be monitored to identify consumed mediacontent events. Alternatively, or additionally, the consumer 138 mayspecify their consumed media content events to the conversational avatarsystem 100, such as by providing input through their consumerconversation acquisition system 108 or another suitable electronicdevice.

Based on the priori knowledge of consumed media content events, andbased on what the interest is on the part of the studio or anotherentity, the subject media content event is identified. Then, since querysession questions and/or comments are associated with a particular mediacontent event, the query session questions and/or comments associatedwith the subject media content event can be accessed from theconversational avatar generation system 104 and may be communicated tothe consumer conversation acquisition system 108 for presentation duringthe query session. That is, for a selected media content event(interchangeably referred to herein as the subject media content event),a plurality of questions and/or comments pertaining to the subject mediacontent event (or even a particular scene, event and/or story line ofthe subject media content event) are accessed for presentation to theconsumer 138 during the query session.

During a query session, the consumer conversation acquisition system 108acquires (harvest) the audible/verbal responses of the consumer 138 tothe query questions and/or to the query comments using a microphone orsimilar sound detecting device. Optionally, non-verbal responses of theconsumer 138 may be acquired during the query session using a suitableimage capture device.

The acquired responses are then communicated from the consumerconversation acquisition system 108 to the conversational avatargeneration system 104. The received responses are stored into theconsumer conversation storage device 134 for later processing.

Additionally, each question and/or comment presented by theconversational avatar 102 is associated with at least one of a scene, anevent and/or a story line of the subject media content event. Forexample, the conversational avatar 102 may verbally ask the consumer 138“did you like the first kiss between the characters John Smith and JaneDoe?” Here, the scene that presented the first kiss would be known (andidentifiable with a particular identifier). Alternatively, oradditionally, the story line associated with the first kiss would beknown (and identifiable with a particular identifier). Or, the precisepresentation time or duration of the first kiss would be known (andidentifiable with a particular identifier). Accordingly, in thissimplified hypothetical example, the question presented by theconversational avatar 102 is associated with a particular scene, eventand/or story line of the subject media content event (by associating thequestion or remark with the particular identifier of the scene, eventand/or story line).

The consumer 138 may verbally respond to the query session question bysaying that they thought the first kiss was very romantic.Alternatively, the consumer 138 may smile and/or sigh, indicating somedegree of satisfaction with the character's first kiss (which may bereasonably inferred from their non-verbal response). The response of theconsumer 138 is then associated with an identifier of the particularquestion and/or comment presented by the conversational avatar 102. Forexample, the identifier may be “first kiss” or some other suitablealpha-numeric identifier, which is then associated with the acquiredconsumer response and/or reaction. Further, this information may beassociated with an identifier of the subject media content event.

Alternatively, or additionally, since a time stamp, scene identifier, orother relevant meta data of the subject media content event has beenassociated with the question and/or comment made by the conversationalavatar 102, the response of the consumer 138 may then be associated withthe same particular scene, event and/or story line of the subject mediacontent event (by associating their response with the particularidentifier of the scene, event and/or story line). For example, the timestamp, meta data, scene identifier and/or story line identifierassociated with the query question and/or to the query comment, isaccessed and is then associated with the consumer's response and/orreaction.

Various supplemental information for the scenes, events and/or storylines of the subject media content event may be stored in the MCE scene,event, and story line storage device 136. As the responses of theconsumer 138 are received during a query session, the supplementalinformation may then be associated with the particular scene, eventand/or story line that has been associated with the question and/orcomment presented in the query session. Alternatively, or additionally,the supplemental information may be associated with the responsereceived from the consumer 138. Accordingly, the “richness” (the amountand quality) of the information pertaining to a particular response ofthe consumer 138 to a particular scene, event and/or story line of thesubject media content event is enhanced.

The conversational avatar 102 is an interactive graphical-based avataror an audio only avatar bot that interactively presents the series ofquestions and/or comments to the consumer 138 during a query session.The conversational avatar generator 128 manages generation of theconversational avatar 102 that is presented to the consumer 138. In someembodiments, the conversational avatar generator 128 is an optionalcomponent, and is alternatively implemented in the consumer conversationacquisition system 108.

Since the conversational avatar 102 is interacting with the consumer 138in an intelligent fashion, a next presented question and/or comment maybe determined on a real-time basis, or near real-time basis, based onthe response of the consumer 138 to a previously presented questionand/or comment. Further, since the conversational avatar manager 130interactively selects particular questions and/or comments forpresentation to the consumer 138 during the query session (where theconversational avatar generator 128 generates the conversational avatar102 for presentation), a suitable artificial intelligence (AI) systemmay be used to process and analyze the reactions of the consumer 138.

The selection or definition of particular questions and/or comments, andtheir order of presentation, used during a query session may be based ona plurality of different factors. For example, a next follow-up questionor comment may be based on a past response of the consumer 138 to aprevious question and/or comment associated with a particular scene,event and/or story line of the subject media content event. For example,returning to the above-described simplified hypothetical example of thefirst kiss between characters, the consumer 138 may have expressed somedegree of satisfaction or happiness. The conversational avatar manager130 may then define a new follow-up question related to the subjectmatter of the previous question such as “why did you like the first kissbetween the characters?” As another example, the conversational avatarmanager 130 may define a comment that states that “the first kiss was anessential element of the current story line.” Conversely, the consumer138 may have expressed some degree of dissatisfaction or disappointment.The conversational avatar manager 130 may then define a new follow-upquestion such as “why didn't you like the first kiss between thecharacters?” As another example, the conversational avatar manager 130may define a follow-up comment that states that “the first kiss did notseem to be related at all to the current story line.” Here, theconversational avatar generator 128 is defining a next follow-upquestion and/or comment. The follow-up question and/or comment isintended to elicit continued conversation with the consumer 138pertaining to the associated scene, event and/or story line of thesubject media content event. That is, the next question and/or commentis defined with the intent of generating further responses from theconsumer 138 that are associated with the previous question and/orcomment.

As another example, the next question or comment may be based on adifferent media content event that has been associated with the subjectmedia content event and that is known to have been viewed by theconsumer 138. Here, the next question and/or comment may be based on acorrelation between the particular scene, event and/or story line of thesubject media content event that is being discussed with a correspondingscene, event and/or story line of the previously consumed media contentevent. In this situation, the supplemental information associated with aparticular scene, event and/or story line of the subject media contentevent is correlated with supplemental information from the variousevents, scenes, and/or story lines of the previously consumed mediacontent event. When a correlation is found, then the next question orcomment may be made with reference to the associated scene, event and/orstory line.

As another example, the next question or comment may be based on pastresponses of other consumers 138. Returning to the above-describedsimplified hypothetical example of the first kiss between characters, amajority of other individual consumers 138, the relatively small groupof individual consumers 138, and/or the audience 122 may have previouslyindicated a relatively high degree of satisfaction or happiness towardsthe first kiss. However, the consumer 138 may have expressed some degreeof dissatisfaction or disappointment. The conversational avatar manager130 may then determine that the consumer's comment and/or reactions isnot consistent or is contrary to the general consensus, and then definea new question and/or remark further exploring the consumer's opinionand viewpoint that were expressed in response to the query questionand/or to the query comment. For example, a next query question may bedetermined such as “many others who viewed the subject media contentevent really liked the first kiss. Why didn't you like the first kissbetween the characters?” Here, the combination of a query remarkfollowed by a query question is defined with an intent to elicit thereasoning behind the dislike or disappointment experienced by theconsumer 138.

As another example, the next question or comment may be based on acurrently determined location and/or activity of the consumer 138. Here,the current location may be determined to be related to or associatedwith a particular media content event. For example, the scene theparticular media content event may have been filmed at a set locationthat is the same as the currently determined location. Here, a querysession discussing that scene may result in a higher level ofparticipation on the part of the consumer 138 since that are at the samelocation as where the scene was filmed. To implement this feature, acurrent location is compare with locations associated with one or moremedia content events. When the current location of the consume matcheswith an associated location, then questions and/or comments associatedwith that scene are accessed and are then used to generate a querysession that is presented to the consumer 138 while at that location.

As another example, the current activity of the consumer may bedetermined to be driving a car. Questions and/or comments relating todriving are accessed for the subject media content event. Then, thequery session may be constructed so as to present questions and/orcomments pertaining to particular scenes, events, or story lines of thesubject media content event pertaining to driving.

In some situations, personal information about the consumer 138 may beaccessed to determine questions and/or comments for a query session.Here, query session questions and/or comments can be specificallydefined that are more personal in nature to the consumer 138. Suchpersonalized questions and/or comments are likely to increase theinvolvement of the consumer 138 in the ongoing query session, and resultin more personal and meaningful responses.

Further, the personal experiences of the consumer 138 may be used toimprove the recollection of the consumer 138 to particular scenes,events, or story lines of the subject media content event. Here, alisting of experiences of the consumer 138 are collected and aremaintained by the conversational avatar system 100. Prior to initiationof the query session, or during an ongoing query session, these personalexperiences of the consumer 138 are compared with attributes,characteristics, or descriptions of particular scenes, events, or storylines of the subject media content event. When a particular experienceof the consumer 138 matches with or correlates to with a particularscene, event, or story line, a query session question and/or comment canthen be constructed that includes a description of the experience of theconsumer 138. When this personalized experience information is includedas part of the query session, the involvement by the consumer 138 islikely to increase and result in more meaningful and personal responses.

In some situations, a famous quote or saying may be incorporated into aquery session that is well known to the consumer 138 and/or that hasbeen identified as a favorite of the consumer 138. A recognizable quote,when incorporated into a query session question and/or comment, islikely to increase the involvement of the consumer 138 in the ongoingquery session, and result in more personal and meaningful responses.Such quotes may be obtained from the dialogue of particular scenes,events, or story lines of the subject media content event.

Music may also be incorporated into a query session to increase theinvolvement of the consumer 138 in the ongoing query session, and resultin more personal and meaningful responses. Such music, when presentedduring the query session, may invoke an emotional response form theconsumer 138. Accordingly, their response to a particular query sessionquestion and/or comment during presentation of the music may be morerelevant and sincere. Music from particular scenes, events, or storylines of the subject media content event may be used in the querysession. Alternatively, any music may be used in a query session. Insome instances, such as music identified in a favorites list of theconsumer 138 may be selected for presentation during a query session.Additionally, or alternatively, music known to evoke particular emotionsin a listener may be selected for presentation during a query session.

One skilled in the art appreciates that the series of questions and/orcomments presented in a query session are limitless. Further, it islikely that the query session presented to a first individual consumer138 or a first relatively small group of individual consumers 138 islikely to be different from a query session presented to a differentsecond individual consumer 138 or a second relatively small group ofindividual consumers 138. The changing and developing lines of presentedquestions and/or comments are defined to further harvest more genuine,honest and representative viewpoints from a current query session withthe individual consumer 138 or the relatively small group of individualconsumers 138.

In the various embodiments, the interactive conversational avatar 102 isgenerated by the conversational avatar generator 128 under themanagement of the conversational avatar manager 130. The conversationalavatar manager 130 also manages the processing and storing of responsesfrom the consumer 138, determines a next question and/or comment to bemade during the query session, and associates supplemental informationwith a question, a comment and/or a received response. In someembodiments, the conversational avatar manager 130 and/or theconversational avatar generator 128 may be implemented as components ofthe conversational avatar generation system 104, as illustrated inFIG. 1. In alternative embodiments, the conversational avatar manager130 and/or the conversational avatar generator 128 may be implemented ascomponents of the consumer conversation acquisition system 108.

In an example embodiment, the consumer conversation acquisition system108 is implemented as a stand alone electronic device. In otherembodiments, the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 may beimplemented in a suitable media device or as a component of a mediapresentation system 124. In other embodiments, the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 may be implemented as part of a set top box(STB), a stereo, a surround-sound receiver, a radio, a television (TV),a digital video disc (DVD) player, a digital video recorder (DVR), agame playing device, a personal computer (PC), a cellular phone, a smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop computer, a personal deviceassistant (PDA), or even within a virtual reality head mounted displayHMD. One skilled in the art appreciates that the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 may be implemented in any electronic device nowknown or later developed that is capable of presenting a series ofquestions and/or comments to a consumer 138, and that is capable ofacquiring the response of the consumer 138 to the presented series ofquestions and/or comments.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108. The consumer conversation acquisition system 108 comprises acommunication network interface 202, a conversational avatar generator204, an optional consumer reaction storage device 206, an optionalconsumer conversation storage device 208, an optional pairinginformation storage device 210, a conversational avatar manager 212, aprocessor system 214, at least one microphone(s) 216, at least oneoptional image capture device(s) 218, one or more optional biometricsensors 220, an optional location determination system 222, at least onespeaker 224, an optional display 226, and an optional display interface226. Embodiments of consumer conversation acquisition system 108 may beimplemented in various types of media devices, such as, but not limitedto, a set top box, a stereo, a surround-sound receiver, a radio, atelevision (TV), a digital video disc (DVD) player, a digital videorecorders (DVR), a cellular phone equipped with video functionality, apersonal device assistants (PDA), a game playing device, or any type ofpersonal computer (PCs). The consumer conversation acquisition system108 is configured to present a video-based and/or an audio-onlyconversational avatar 102 to the consumer that present query questionsand/or to the query comments during a query session. Further, theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108 is configured to acquire(harvest) the consumer's opinions and viewpoints that are expressed inresponse to a presented query question and/or a query comment.

In some embodiments, the conversational avatar generator 204 and/or theconversational avatar manager 212 may be integrated together, and/or maybe integrated with other logic. In other embodiments, some or all ofthese memory and other data manipulation functions may be provided byusing a remote server or other electronic devices suitably connected viathe Internet or otherwise to a client device. Other consumerconversation acquisition systems 108 may include some, or may omit some,of the above-described media processing components. Further, additionalcomponents not described herein may be included in alternativeembodiments such that the consumer conversation acquisition system 108is able to perform other functionality.

The communication network interface 202 is configured to communicativelycouple the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 to theconversational avatar generation system 104 via the communicationnetwork 110. The communication network interface 202 may be any suitablewireless or wire-based interface that communicatively couples theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108 to the communicationnetwork 110. Information acquired by the microphone 216 and/or the imagecapture device 218 is communicated to the conversational avatargeneration system 104. Further, information controlling the presentationof the conversational avatar 102 may be received from the conversationalavatar generation system 104 at the communication network interface 202.

The optional image capture device(s) 218, commonly known as a camera,captures (acquires) a video or a series of still images of theindividual consumer 138 or a relatively small group of individualconsumers 138. The microphone(s) 216 capture (acquire) sounds that arepresent in proximity to the individual consumer 138 or a relativelysmall group of individual consumers 138. The biometric sensor 220acquires biometric information (interchangeably referred to herein as aphysical response) from the consumer 138. The captured images, soundsand/or biometric information are saved (recorded) into a suitable memorymedium. The recorded images, sounds and/or biometric information aretime-wise synchronized together. The recorded images, sounds and/orbiometric information may be synched together in time using any suitableprocess and/or any suitable time reference(s). Thus, if the consumer 138reacts to presentation of a particular query question and/or to a querycomment, their verbal commentary can be acquired by the microphone(s)216 and their non-verbal reactions can be acquired by the image capturedevice(s) 218 and/or the biometric sensor(s) 220, and then be associatedwith the particular query question and/or to a query comment thatelicited the consumer's response.

In some embodiments, the consumer's audible response (spoken words,etc.) acquired by the microphone(s) 216 is stored as audio informationin the consumer conversation storage device 208 over the duration of aquery session. Upon completion of the query session, or a portionthereof, the stored audio information is communicated to theconversational avatar generation system 104 (which may then be stored inthe consumer conversation storage device 134). If acquired, theconsumer's non-verbal response (gestures, etc.) acquired by the imagecapture device(s) 218 and/or any biometric response acquired by thebiometric sensor(s) 220 is stored as video, image and/or biometricinformation in the consumer reaction storage device 206 over theduration of a query session. Upon completion of the query session, or aportion thereof, the stored video information is communicated to theconversational avatar generation system 104 (which may then be stored inthe consumer conversation storage device 134). In some embodiments, thestorage devices 206 and 208 (and/or 210) are integrated together as asingle storage device, and/or are integrated with other storage deicesthat store other information.

In some embodiments, the consumer conversation acquisition system 108and the conversational avatar generation system 104 are communicativelycoupled together during a query session. During the duration of thequery session, the consumer's opinions and viewpoints (acquired as audioinformation, as video or image information, and/or as biometricinformation) are communicated from the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108 to the conversational avatar generation system 104 on a realtime basis (or on a near real time basis). Accordingly, the optionalconsumer conversation storage device 208 and/or the optional consumerreaction storage device 206 may be omitted from that embodiment.

The optional conversational avatar generator 204 generates theconversational avatar 102 for presentation to the consumer 138. If theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108 is an audio-only typedevice, then the conversational avatar generator 204 generates theverbal query questions and/or the query comments that are presented tothe individual consumer 138 or a relatively small group of individualconsumers 138. The audible query questions and/or the query comments arereproduced as sounds by the speaker(s) 224. If the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 is a video and audio based device, then theconversational avatar generator 204 generates the verbal query questionsand/or to the query comments that are presented to the individualconsumer 138 or a relatively small group of individual consumers 138 byspeakers 224 or 234, and concurrently generates a video of the animatedgraphical conversational avatar 102 that is presented to the individualconsumer 138 or a relatively small group of individual consumers 138 ona suitable display 232. That is, the animated graphical conversationalavatar 102 appears to speak the words of the presented series of audiblequestions to the consumer that pertain to the subject media contentevent.

The optional one or more biometric sensors 220 may be included toacquire biometric information from the individual consumer 138 or arelatively small group of individual consumers 138 as they respond toparticular query questions and/or to the query comments. Examplebiometric sensors 220 include, but are not limited to, heart ratesensors that can be used to determine changes in heart beat rates, bloodpressure sensors that can be used to determine changes in bloodpressure, body temperature sensors that can be used to sense bodytemperature changes such as on the skin surface, moisture sensors thatcan be used to detect perspiration, and/or electroencephalography (EEG)sensors that employ an electrophysiological monitoring method to detectand/or record changes in electrical activity of the brain. Changes issuch detected biometric states of the individual consumer 138 or arelatively small group of individual consumers 138 may be used todetermine whether the response to query questions and/or to the querycomments are truthful, genuine, honest and/or representative.

Further, some embodiments may use the biometric information to determinethe emotional state of the consumer 138. Such emotional stateinformation may also be used to verify the truthfulness, genuineness,and/or honesty of the response of the consumer 138 to particular queryquestions and/or to the query comments. Further, the biometricinformation may be used to determine the degree of emotional responsethat the consumer 138 is experiencing when they hear a query questionand/or the query comment, and/or when they reply with their response.

One skilled in the art appreciates that interacting with the consumer138 and obtaining their response to presented query questions and/or toquery comments about a particular media content event is problematic atbest. In many situations, the consumer 138 is occupied with tasks thatprevent their interaction with the conversational avatar 102. In suchsituations, the consumer 138 may be defined to be in an unreceptivestate. In other situations, also defined as an unreceptive state, theconsumer 138 may simply not wish to interact with a presentedconversational avatar 102.

On the other hand, there may be situations that the consumer 138 iswilling to readily interact with a presented conversational avatar 102,defined as being in a receptive state. Here, the consumer 138 may not bepreoccupied with a particular task or activity, or be at a location thatis suitable for conducting a query session, and would therefore bewilling to participate in a query session.

In yet other situations, even though the consumer 138 is not disposed tointeract with a presented conversational avatar 102, defined as being inan indeterminate state. Here, the consumer 138 may be enticed or maybecome otherwise inclined to interact with a presented conversationalavatar 102 (thereby transitioning to the receptive state).Alternatively, after some interaction with the conversational avatar102, the consumer 138 may transition into the unreceptive state.Embodiments of the conversational avatar system 100 are configured todetermine when a query session is initiated with the consumer 138.

One skilled in the art appreciates that determining “when” to initiate aquery session with a particular consumer 138 is a task that is notpossible to perform using today's state of the art technology. That is,there is simply no known way to determine when a query session should beinitiated with a consumer 138. If a query session is initiated at arandom time, the consumer 138 may or may not be willing to participatein the query session. More particularly, the consumer 138 is most likelyto not want to participate in a query session if the consumer 138 inpreoccupied with a particular task or activity and does not want to bedisturbed by the query session.

To facilitate a determination of “when” to initiate a query session witha consumer 138, embodiments of the conversational avatar system 100 areconfigured to determine a state of the consumer 138 (with respect towhether or not the consumer 138 is in a receptive state and willing toparticipate in a query session, an unreceptive state and not willing toparticipates in a query session, or optionally in an indeterminate statewhere the consumer 138 might become interested in participating in aquery session) during a particular activity. A query session isinitiated when a determination is made that the consumer 138 is in thereceptive state during the associated activity, and is therefore highlylikely to respond to and participate in the query session and/orinteract with the interactive conversational avatar 102. Conversely,when a determination is made that the consumer 138 is in the unreceptivestate during the associated activity, and is therefore not likely torespond to the query session and/or interact with the interactiveconversational avatar 102, the query session is not initiated by theconversational avatar system 100. Some embodiments are optionallyconfigured to communicate a query session invitation when adetermination is made that the consumer 138 is in the indeterminatestate during the associated activity, and might be willing to respond toand participate in the query session and/or interact with theinteractive conversational avatar 102.

In the various embodiments, the determination of whether the consumer138 is likely to respond (that is, the consumer 138 is in the receptivestate) or not respond (is in the unreceptive state) to the query sessionand/or interact with the interactive conversational avatar 102 is basedon learning by a suitable artificial intelligence (AI) program thatlearns about the consumer state (receptive state and willing toparticipate in a query session, an unreceptive state and not willing toparticipates in a query session, or optionally in an indeterminatestate) during the associated event. An event herein is defined by to bea location and/or an activity that is associated with a consumer state.

With respect to a current location of the consumer 138, the optionallocation determination system 222 is configured to determine a currentlocation of the consumer conversation acquisition system 108. Here, ifthe location of the consumer 138 is changing or has changed to a currentlocation, the determination of a current location is considered to berelated to an event for that consumer 138 (that is, if the consumer 138is moving or has moved, being at the location is considered as anevent). Assuming that the consumer conversation acquisition system 108is in the physical possession of the consumer 138, or is in nearproximity to the consumer conversation acquisition system 108, thecurrent location of the consumer conversation acquisition system 108will be the same as, or correspond to, the current location of theconsumer 138. Embodiments of the conversational avatar system 100 mayassociate one or more particular locations with a receptive state (thatindicates that the consumer 138 is likely to respond to query questionsand/or to the query comments). Other locations may be associated withthe unreceptive state (that indicates that the consumer 138 is notlikely to respond).

It is appreciated by one skilled in the art that when the conversationalavatar system 100 is initiated for a new consumer 138, there will be nostored event/state parings. Locations of the consumer 138 are monitored.Also, activities that the consumer 138 is participating in aredetermined for the various monitored locations. At some juncture,particular activities will be encountered which are known to be thetypes of activities that the user is likely to be interested inparticipating in a query session. Here, the consumer 138 is presentedwith a query session invitation which may be presented as an audiblequestion or queue, and/or which may be presented as a visual questionand/or queue. Over time, if the consumer 138 has participated in a querysession at that location, then that particular location is associatedwith the receptive state. Conversely, if the consumer 138 has notparticipated in a query session at that location, then that particularlocation is associated with the unreceptive state. Activities may besimilarly associated with a state of the consumer 138.

If the indeterminate state is used as with some embodiments, somelocations may be associated with the indeterminate state (that indicatesthat the consumer 138 may or may not become motivated to transition tothe receptive state). Over time, if the consumer 138 has sometimesparticipated in a query session at that location, and at other times theconsumer 138 has not participated in a query session at that location,then that particular location is associated with the indeterminatestate. Here, the consumer 138 is presented with a query sessioninvitation which may be presented as an audible question or queue,and/or which may be presented as a visual question and/or queue.

The consumer 138 may accept the query session invitation. In response tothe acceptance by the consumer 138, a determination is made that theconsumer 138 is in a receptive state. Therefore, the presentation of aquery session is initiated. Alternatively, the consumer 138 may declinethe invitation. Accordingly, a determination is made that the consumer138 is in an unreceptive state. Therefore, the presentation of a querysession is not initiated. For example, the query session invitation mayaudibly state “would you like to discuss movie XYZ?” (or by stating someother invitation related audible statement). If the consumer 138responds by stating “yes” (or by indicating an acceptance of theinvitation in other suitable manner), presentation of the query sessionis initiated. That is, their acceptance of the invitation corresponds toa transition from the indeterminate state to the receptive state.Conversely, if the consumer 138 responds by stating “no” (or byindicating their declining of the invitation in other suitable manner),presentation of the query session is not initiated. That is, theirdeclining of the invitation corresponds to a transition from theindeterminate state to the unreceptive state.

A query session invitation may also be presented visually on the display232 or another suitable display 226 (that is incorporated as a componentof the consumer conversation acquisition system 108). The visual queuemay be a simple iconic symbol known to the consumer 138 to be associatedwith a query session invitation. Alternatively, or additionally, thevisual queue may be an object, person, or animated character that isoverlaid on the currently presenting image shown on the display 226,232. For example, if the consumer 138 is talking or texting on theircellular phone that is implemented with an embodiment of the consumerconversation acquisition system 108, a simple icon would inform theconsumer 138. The consumer 138 could accept the query session invitationby actuation one of the actuators (push button keys) on their device.Alternatively, the consumer 138 could decline the query sessioninvitation by actuating another actuator and/or by simply not responding(wherein after some predefined duration without a response from theconsumer 138, a determination is made that the consumer 138 has declinedthe query session invitation).

As another example, the consumer 138 may be watching a televisionprogram on the display 232. Here, the current location of the consumeris known because the location of the display 232 is known (such as by aservice address or account address of the consumer 138, and by the userof the display 232 to consume the television program). The iconassociated with the query session invitation would then be inserted intoor overlaid on top of the presented image (such as by usingpicture-in-picture technology or the like).

Alternatively, or additionally, a complex animated graphic could beinserted onto the display 232. For example, an animated character, actoror other person could be generated and overlaid over a portion of thedisplay 232 to present the query session invitation. The consumer 138,upon seeing the animated character, actor or other person, wouldintuitively understand that they have received a query sessioninvitation. The animated character, actor or other person might evenreplace a character, actor or other person being presented on thedisplay 232.

In some instances, the audio portion of the presenting content may bemodified such that the query session invitation is audibly indicated tothe consumer 138 (from the speaker(s) 234 associated with the display232) concurrently with the animated character portion of theconversational avatar 102. Accordingly, the animated conversationalavatar 102 is perceived by the consumer 138 as “speaking” by theanimated character, actor or other person.

An exemplary location determination system 222 employs a globalpositioning system (GPS) device that receives a plurality of satellitesignals such that the current location is determined there from. Thedetermined current location may be associated with a receptive state, anunreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. In practice, thedetermined current location is compared with previously determinedlocation information that has been associated with one of the receptivestate, an unreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. The associatedstate is accessed for the location that matches the determined currentlocation, and the accessed state is used to define the current state forthe determined current location. Any suitable GPS system now known orlater developed may be used in the various embodiments. Over time,location information from the GPS may also be used to determinemovement, a rate of speed of the movement, and/or a direction of travel.

Alternatively, or additionally, some embodiments may use a suitabletriangulation system that detects a plurality of cellular towertransceivers. When multiple cellular towers are detected, the locationof the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 may be estimated.The determined location may be associated with a receptive state, anunreceptive state, or an indeterminate state.

In practice, a currently determined location is compared with previouslydetermined location information that has been associated with one of thereceptive state, an unreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. Theassociated state is accessed for the location that matches thedetermined current location. Then, the accessed state is used to definethe current state for the determined current location to determine if aquery session should be initiated, or if a query invitation should bepresented to the consumer 138.

Current location may be based on any suitable map or coordinate system.Further, such map systems may identify objects, such as buildings, roadsand/or other features of the land that is then associated with thedetermined current location. Names of the buildings, roads and/or otherfeatures may be accessible from the map information, and/or may be basedon the location information obtained from the map. Accordingly, variouslocation attributes may be associated with buildings, roads and/or otherfeatures. These buildings, roads and/or other features may, at somepoint in time, be in proximity to the determined location of theconversational avatar generation system 104. Such information is used todetermine “when” to initiate a query session with the consumer 138.Here, the location attribute may be associated with a receptive state,an unreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. In practice, thedetermined current location is compared with previously determinedlocation information and/or location attribute that has been associatedwith one of the receptive state, an unreceptive state, or anindeterminate state. The associated state is accessed for the locationand/or location attribute that matches the determined current location,and the accessed state is used to define the current state for thedetermined current location.

Embodiments are configured to associate the state of the consumer 138with a determined location based upon a computer-based AI learningprocess. Once a particular location has been associated with aparticular state, the location information and the associated stateinformation is saved into the pairing information storage device 210.Any suitable relational data base system may be used by the variousembodiments. Over time, for any particular consumer 138, a database ofdifferent event/state pairings will be accumulated. The AI system may beused to intelligently manage the information of event/state pairingdatabase that has been stored in the pairing information storage device210. In some embodiments, the pairing information storage device 210 isomitted from the consumer conversation acquisition system 108, and isalternatively implemented at the conversational avatar generation system104. Alternatively, both the conversational avatar generation system 104and the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 may maintain theevent/state pairing database in their respective pairing informationstorage devices 210. Such an implementation may be beneficial if theparticular consumer 138 uses a plurality of different consumerconversation acquisition systems 108. Updates to the event/state pairingdatabase of each device may be periodically or continuously performed sothat each device has a most currently available event/state pairingdatabase information.

The AI system may also associate a reliability value or factor thatindicates the degree of relative certainty of the reliability of theinformation in the event/state pairing database. For example, if theconsumer 138 has always been in the receptive state at a particularlocation for many times, and/or has been in a receptive state whileparticipating in a particular activity, then a higher relativereliability value can be assigned to that and/or activity. In contrast,a lower reliability value may be assigned to a location and/or activitythat has been infrequently visited, and/or when on occasion the consumer138 is determined to be in the receptive state and at other times isdetermined to be in the unreceptive state. The reliability value(interchangeably referred to herein as a correlation factor) may be usedto improve the reliability of the decision to initiate (or not toinitiate) a query session based on the identification of the currentlocation of the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 and/orbased on a current identified activity that the consumer 138 iscurrently participating in. Further, over time as new information aboutthe state of the consumer 138 with respect to various locations,attributes of the locations, and/or activity, the reliability value maybe adjusted. Such reliability values may be associated with particularlocations, particular location attributes, and/or activities. Thereliability values are then saved with the particular locations,particular location attributes, and/or activities for later use when theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108 is at or is near thatlocation, at other locations with similar attributes, or isparticipating in the same or similar activities.

In practice, when the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 is amobile type device, the current location of the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 is continuously or is periodically monitored. Thecurrent location is compared with locations residing in the event/statepairing database. When the current location matches one of the locationsof the event/state pairing database, then for that location, theassociated state is accessed from the event/state pairing database. Theaccessed state of the consumer 138 can be made to determine if a querysession should be initiated, and/or if a query session invitation shouldbe presented.

If a reliability value is used, then the reliability value may becompared with a reliability value threshold. If the reliability valueexceeds a predefined reliability value threshold, then a reliabledetermination of the state of the consumer 138 is made. If thereliability value does not exceed a first reliability value threshold,but does exceed a different lower reliability value threshold, a querysession invitation may be presented to the consumer 138. Differentthresholds may be used for the various states of the consumer 138.

For a plurality of different locations, the consumer 138 may have alwaysbeen willing, or at least often been willing, to interact with apresented conversational avatar 102 (defined herein as a receptive statelocation). Here, these different locations have been associated with thereceptive state. When the current location is determined to be the sameas, or substantially correspond to, one of those particular previouslydetermined receptive state locations that the consumer 138 was willingto interact with a presented conversational avatar 102, then a querysession will then be initiated.

Similarly, for a plurality of other locations, the consumer 138 may havealways been unwilling, or at least often been willing, to interact witha presented conversational avatar 102 (defined herein as an unreceptivestate location). For these locations, the unreceptive state isassociated with those locations. When the current location is determinedto be the same as, or substantially correspond to, one of thoseparticular previously determined unreceptive state locations that theconsumer 138 was unwilling to interact with a presented conversationalavatar 102, then a query session will not be initiated.

For a plurality of other different locations, the consumer 138 may havebeen, on occasion, motivated to interact with a presented conversationalavatar 102 in response to a query session invitation (defined herein asa indeterminate state location). The indeterminate state is associatedwith those locations. When the current location is determined to be thesame as, or substantially correspond to, one of those particularpreviously determined indeterminate state locations, then a querysession invitation will be presented. If the consumer 138 transitions toa receptive state, the a query session will be initiated. On the otherhand, if the consumer 138 transitions to the unreceptive state, thequery session will not be initiated.

One skilled in the art appreciates that particular locations and/orparticular location attributes may be defined differently for differentconsumers 138. That is, the current location and/or an associatedlocation attribute may be defined as a receptive state location for afirst user, may be defined as an unreceptive state location of adifferent second consumer 138, and may be defined as an indeterminatestate location for a different third consumer 138.

Non-limiting examples of receptive state locations may include abathroom, an elevator, location of an automobile, a couch or chair, agym locker room, or the like where the consumer 138 is not engaged in anactivity that they should not be distracted from. Non-limiting examplesof unreceptive state locations may include a restaurant, a pool,location of an automobile, a couch or chair, a gym locker room, or thelike where the consumer 138 is likely engaged in an activity that theyshould not be distracted from. As indicated by the example locationsabove, some locations may be learned to be a receptive state location oran unreceptive state location. For example, a parked automobile in theresidence driveway of the consumer 138 may be learned to be a suitablereceptive state location, while other locations that the automobile maybe currently located at may be learned to be unreceptive statelocations. As another example, for a particular consumer 138, the gymlocker room may be learned to be a suitable receptive state location.However, for a different consumer 138 (who may be engaging with othergym members), the gym locker room may learned to be an unreceptive statelocation.

Further, because an AI system is used to define locations as beingreceptive state locations, unreceptive state locations or indeterminatestate locations, a location attribute associated with a particularlocation (interchangeably referred to herein as a location attribute)may be associated with the learned state. This associated informationmay be optionally saved into the pairing information storage device 210.For example, a first location may be known to be the residence bathroomof the home of the consumer 138. Other locations may also be known to bebathrooms (also known as a restroom or a lavatory), such as a publicrestroom at a public location, a restroom at a restaurant, a restroom ata theatre, or a workplace restroom located at the employment location ofthe consumer 138. Thus, the AI system may learn that theses otherlocations characterized as being a type of bathroom may be associatedwith the same state as the residence bathroom because their associatedlocation attribute is the same as, or is similar to, the associatedlocation attribute of the known location.

Further, a secondary location attribute associated with a particularlocation may also be used to define the location state. For example, theconsumer 138 may have been unwilling to interact with a presentedconversational avatar 102 while at the restroom of a restaurant (here,the location attributes are a bathroom and a restaurant). Variouslocation attributes associated with a restaurant are known to bedifferent from location attributes associated with a residence. Here,the AI system would learn that restroom locations associated withrestaurants should be defined as unreceptive state locations if theconsumer 138 is consistently unwilling to respond to and participate ina query session. Thus, when the consumer 138 is at the same restaurantor in the restroom of a different restaurant, that particular currentlocation (in a restroom located in a restaurant) will be determined tobe an unreceptive state location.

In some situations, a location attribute may have a priority over otherlocation attributes. For example, a location attribute such as arestaurant bathroom may be defined to always be associated with theunreceptive state. Accordingly, even if other location attributes areavailable for a particular location, a restaurant bathroom would neverbe associated with the receptive state or the indeterminate state.

As another example, the consumer 138 may be currently located in ashopping mall or other public shopping area. In some instances, thecurrent location of the consumer 138 in the shopping mall may beassociated with the receptive state, such as when the consumer 138 iswalking between different shops (and there is a sufficient duration ofwalking time to conduct a query session). For example, the consumer 138may be browsing through clothes while in a clothing store. Such browsingmay not be a task (activity) that requires a high degree ofconcentration on the part of the consumer 138. Here, that store locationmay be associated with the receptive state or the indeterminate state.

Embodiments may learn about other locations that should be associatedwith the unreceptive state. For example, the consumer 138 may be in astore that requires a relatively high degree of concentration toidentify a potential purchase and/or to discriminate between candidatepurchase options/alternatives. For example, the consumer 138 may bebuying jewelry in a jewelry store or electronics in an electronicsstore. Here, such location attributes (having a characteristic orattribute of being a jewelry store or an electronics store) may beassociated with the unreceptive state because the consumer 138 shouldnot be disturbed from their purchase decision. These location relatedactivities and/or location attribute related activities, and theirassociated state, may be saved into the event/state pairing database.

Summarizing, embodiments monitor in real time, in near real time, orperiodically, the current location of the mobile consumer conversationacquisition system 108, which presumably corresponds to the currentlocation of the consumer 138. When the consumer 138 is currently locatedin a location that is associated with a receptive state (defined hereinas a receptive state location), presentation of a query session may beinitiated. Conversely, when the consumer 138 is currently located at anunreceptive state location, presentation of a query session is notinitiated. When the consumer 138 is currently located at anindeterminate state location, presentation of a query session invitationis presented.

Further, some embodiments of the location determination system 222 areoptionally configured to sense motion, determine a rate of movement(such as velocity and/or acceleration), and/or determine a direction ofmovement (based on a change in angular orientation). A locationdetermination system 222 that senses motion, determines a rate ofmovement, and/or determines a direction of movement may be implementedusing any suitable Microelectromechanical system (MEMS), also known asmicro-electro-mechanical, microelectronic systems, or the like. A MEMSsystem utilizes microscopic scale mechanical devices that sense lateralor rotational movements of the structure that they are affixed to. Anysuitable MEMS system now known or later developed may be used in thevarious embodiments.

Movement, rate of movement (acceleration, speed or/or velocity), and/ordirection of movement may be used as a characteristic that is used todetermine whether the consumer 138 is in a receptive state, anunreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. The movement, rate ofmovement, and/or direction of movement information coupled with adetermination of current location may further enhance the reliability ofa determination of whether the consumer 138 is in a receptive state, anunreceptive state, or an indeterminate state.

For example, a current location may be determined to be the front doorof the residence of the consumer 138, the rate of movement may indicatethat the consumer is walking, and the direction of movement may indicatethat the consumer 138 is going on a stroll or walk for recreation and/orfor exercise (such as when walking down their residence sidewalk totowards the street or street sidewalk). Accordingly, embodiments maylearn that this location and/or activity situation corresponds to areceptive state location because the consumer 138 is undertaking anactivity that is well suited for interacting with a presentedconversational avatar 102.

In contrast, the current location may be determined to be the front doorof the residence of the consumer 138, the rate of movement may indicatethat the consumer is walking, and the direction of movement may indicatethat the consumer 138 is walking to their automobile located in theirresidence driveway. Accordingly, embodiments may learn that thislocation and/or activity situation corresponds to an unreceptive statelocation because the consumer 138 is undertaking an short durationactivity that is not well suited for interacting with a presentedconversational avatar 102. Here, when the previous situation hasoccurred, the duration of the time of this activity has been determinedand saved. Over a number of instances, the conversational avatar system100 will learn that there will be a sufficient amount of time to conducta query session.

Further, the determined duration may be used to define a query session.For example, a short duration may allow for only a limited number ofquery session questions and/or comments. A longer duration may permit agreater number of query session questions and/or comments. Accordingly,such location-based activity duration information associated with anactivity is saved for later use in defining the duration of a querysession and/or for selecting particular query session questions and/orcomments.

As yet another non-limiting example of a location-based activity, thecurrent location may be determined to be the front door of the workplaceof the consumer 138, the rate of movement may indicate that the consumeris walking, and the direction of movement may indicate that the consumer138 is walking to their automobile located in the parking lot that theconsumer 138 typically parks their automobile while at work. Over time,if the consumer 138 has participated in a query session for thatlocation-based activity, then that particular location-based activity isassociated with the receptive state. That is, embodiments may learn thatthis location-based activity corresponds to a receptive state locationbecause the consumer 138 is undertaking a longer duration activity(walking from work to their parked automobile) that is well suited forinteracting with a presented conversational avatar 102.

Speed of movement may be another attribute that can be used to determinewhether the consumer 138 is in a receptive state, an unreceptive state,or an indeterminate state. For example, and as noted above, a firstdetermined velocity may be associated with walking or running. A fasterdetermined velocity may be determined to be associated with driving anautomobile. An even faster velocity may be associated with airplane ortrain travel. Travelling on an airplane or a train, which corresponds totravel at a high rate of speed, may be associated with a receptivestate. Accordingly, a high rate of speed may be associated with areceptive state. Therefore, a query session may be initiated in responseto determining that the consumer 138 is travelling in an airplane ortrain (based on the determined speed of movement).

In contrast, determining that the consumer 138 is travelling in anautomobile may not be sufficient, alone, to determine whether theconsumer 138 is in a receptive state, an unreceptive state, or anindeterminate state. Current location information could be used tosupplement the determination of whether the consumer 138 is in areceptive state, an unreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. Here,if the user is driving along a particularly dangerous or complex roadway(such as a roundabout or an highway interchange), the current locationcoupled with the determined speed may indicate that the consumer 138 isin an unreceptive state. In contrast, if the consumer 138 is currentlytravelling on a long straight stretch of highway that is relativelysafe, the consumer 138 may be determined to be in a receptive state.Here, the determined speed of travel and a determination of a constantdirection of travel may indicate that the consumer 138 is travellingdown a straight stretch of highway, and therefore, that thislocation-based activity (the activity of driving down a straight stretchof highway, where the location is an automobile) should be associatedwith the receptive state. These location-based activities, and theirassociated state, may be saved into the event/state pairing database.

As yet another example, the current location information of the consumer138 may indicate that the consumer 138 is not driving, but rather isseated as a passenger in an automobile. When the consumer 138 is apassenger, they may be determined to be in the receptive state. Here, anelectronic device 230 located in the automobile may be in communicationwith (communicatively coupled to) the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108. The supplemental information provided by the electronicdevice 230 may indicate that the consumer 138 is a passenger in theautomobile. For example, the electronic device 230 in the automobile mayinclude a pressure sensor that determines if someone is seated in aparticular seat of the automobile. That is, location may be defined bythe various embodiments relative to the consumer's location within orwith respect to some object, such as an automobile, a train, a ship, andaircraft or the like.

Accordingly, embodiments of the consumer conversation acquisition system108 are configured to receive information from another electronic device230 that it is communicatively coupled to and that provides supplementalinformation pertaining to the consumer 138. This supplementalinformation may be used, in part, to determine whether the consumer 138is in a receptive state, an unreceptive state, or an indeterminatestate. Any suitable electronic device 230 may be used by the variousembodiments to provide supplemental information that facilitates thedetermination of whether the consumer 138 is in a receptive state, anunreceptive state, or an indeterminate state.

Another example of an electronic device 230 is a communication device,such as a cellular phone or the like. If the consumer 138 is engaged invoice communications (an activity) or data communications (an activity)using their cellular phone, the consumer 138 is most likely engaged in arelatively complex task that they should not be disturbed from (becausethe conversation or data acquisition activity requires a relatively highdegree of concentration from the consumer 138). Here, the electronicdevice 230 provides supplemental information that indicates the consumer138 is engaged in a particular task (such as talking on their phone).Accordingly, the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 determinesthat the consumer 138 is in an unreceptive state (since they are engagedin a phone conversation).

The microphone 216 may also be used to detect sounds in proximity to theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108. The detected sound may beanalyzed to determine a characteristic of the detected sound. Thedetermined characteristic of the sound may then be used to determinewhether the consumer 138 is engaged in a particular activity that shouldbe associated with a receptive state, an unreceptive state, or anindeterminate state. For example, sounds detected by the microphone 216may indicate that the consumer 138 is actively involved in an ongoingconversation with another present person in their physical proximityand/or is having an conversation using their cellular phone. Thedetected sounds are analyzed with a suitable speech recognition systemto identify spoken words (wherein the determined characteristic of thedetected sound is an identification of spoken words or dialogue beingexchanged between the consumer 138 and another person). The context ofthe spoken words, or speech, may be further analyzed to determine thenature of the determined spoken words. For example, the detected soundsmay indicate that the consumer 138 is talking with another person. Here,the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 determines that theconsumer 138 is in an unreceptive state (since they are engaged in anongoing conversation with another person). This determination may bemade regardless of the determination of the current location. That is,such determined activity factors will override the state for thatlocation that has been previously stored in the event/state pairingdatabase.

In another example, the spoken words may indicate that the consumer 138is listening to a television program. Here, the detected sounds willinclude speech being spoken by the consumer 138 or another individual.The determined speech is analyzed with an AI system, wherein adetermination is made that the detected speech is presentation of theaudio portion of a television program or the like (wherein thedetermined characteristic of the presented sound is presentation of theaudio portion of the television program or the like). Accordingly, aquery session or a query session invitation may then be presented to theconsumer 138.

As yet another example, dialogue determined from the sounds detected bythe microphone 216 may indicate that the consumer 138 is engaged in anactivity, such as listening to some audio presentation, that requires arelatively high degree of concentration. This activity is associatedwith the unreceptive state, and therefore, the consumer 138 should notbe disturbed by a query session or a query session invitation. Here, theconsumer 138 may be listening to an audio lecture, viewing a newscast,or may be otherwise consuming presentation of audio content that has acharacteristic of pertaining to relatively complex subject matter.Accordingly, the analysis of the detected sounds that identifies thistype of activity would be used to determine that the consumer 138 is inan unreceptive state. These location-based activities, and theirassociated state, may be saved into the event/state pairing database.

Conversely, sounds detected by the microphone 216 may indicate that theconsumer 138 is likely in a receptive state, such as when listening tomusic. Listening to music (a characteristic of the detected sound)presumably does not require a high degree of concentration on the partof the consumer 138. In this situation, the detected sounds are analyzedto determine that the consumer 138 is listening to music. Here, theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108 would then determine thatthe consumer 138 is in a receptive state (since they are not otherwiseengaged in a conversation or other activity that requires a relativelyhigh degree of concentration). This particular activity and theassociated receptive state may be saved into the event/state pairingdatabase.

Time of day, time of week, day, or the like may be associated with thereceptive state, unreceptive state or indeterminate state. For example,late at night, when the consumer 138 is typically sleeping, may beassociated with the unreceptive state. Here, the a current time of dayis concurrently determined with determining the current location of theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108. The comparing the currenttime of day with times of day associated with the receptive state andtimes of day associated with the unreceptive state. The consumer isdetermined to be in the unreceptive state when the current time of daymatches times of day associated with the unreceptive state, such thatthe query session is not presented to the consumer.

Such times of day associated with the unreceptive state may also beassociated with an activity typically performed at that time, such asgoing to work, going home, exercising, watching TV at home. In contrast,typical activities associated with a different particular time of daymay be associated with the consumer 138 being in a receptive state or anindeterminate state. These time of day or week and state pairs, and/orthese time-based activities and state pairs, may be saved into theevent/state pairing database.

In some embodiments, acquired biometric information can be used as afactor to determine whether the consumer 138 is in a receptive state, anunreceptive state, or an indeterminate state. Here, the acquiredbiometric information may be used to determine an emotional state of theconsumer 138 by comparing the current emotional state of the consumerwith emotional states associated with the receptive state and emotionalassociated with the unreceptive state. For example, the consumer 138 maybe determined to be in a relatively distressed state of emotion, such asduring the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or the like. Based onthis emotional state, embodiments determine that the consumer 138 is inan unreceptive state and should not be disturbed with initiation of aquery session (because a query session would likely interfere with thegrief of the consumer 138). As another example, the consumer 138 may beexperiencing a high degree of joy or satisfaction. Accordingly,embodiments determine that the consumer 138 is in an unreceptive stateand should not be disturbed with initiation of a query session (whichmight otherwise end or at least decrease their current joyful orsatisfied emotional state). On the other hand, the consumer 138 maycurrently be in a relatively neutral emotional state (where the consumeris not particularly distressed nor joyful, for example). With thisemotional state, embodiments determine that the consumer 138 is in areceptive state, or at leas an indeterminate state, and could bedisturbed with initiation of a query session or a query sessioninvitation. These emotional states, and their associated state of theconsumer 138, may be saved into the event/state pairing database.

In some embodiments, image information acquired by the image capturedevice 218 may be used to identify a particular activity that theconsumer 138 is undertaking. In some instances, if the consumerconversation acquisition system 108 is implemented as user-wearabledevice, then image analysis using an object recognition algorithm may beused to identify the current activity of the consumer 138. For example,the consumer 138 may be participating in a sporting activity (baseball,handball, tennis, football, soccer, racing, etc.). Here, theparticipating in this type of activity requires a relatively high degreeof concentration on the part of the consumer 138. Accordingly,embodiments determine that the consumer 138 is in an unreceptive stateand should not be disturbed by a query session. In contrast, theconsumer 138 may be sitting or walking alone in a park-like setting withtheir pet. Here, this type of activity requires a relatively low degreeof concentration on the part of the consumer 138. Accordingly,embodiments determine that the consumer 138 is in a receptive state, andcould therefore be disturbed with initiation of a query session or aquery session invitation. These activities, and their associated state,may be saved into the event/state pairing database.

In some situations, the consumer conversation acquisition system 108 isnot a mobile device. Rather, the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108 is a stationary system or device, or is implemented in astationary system or device, or is in communication with a stationarysystem or device. Here, a stationary consumer conversation acquisitionsystem or device is defined as a system or device that is stationaryafter the system or device has been initially set up for use by theconsumer 138. Typically, stationary systems or devices are not intendedto be portable during their use by the consumer 138. A non-limitingexample of a stationary consumer conversation acquisition system 108 ordevice is a set top box, television, or the like. In contrast, a mobilesystem or device, such as a cell phone or the mobile electronic device,is indented to be mobile (moved with and/or carried by the consumer138). In some instances during actual use, the mobile system or mobiledevice may not be moving (is stationary) only because the consumer 138operating the mobile system or mobile device is simply not moving.

The stationary consumer conversation acquisition system 108 or device isnot always in proximity to the consumer 138. Examples include a set topbox, gaming system, stereo, or the like that is located in a fixedlocation where the device is used by the consumer 138. Here, “use” ofthe device is associated with proximity to the consumer 138. That is,embodiments determine if the stationary device is in use or is beingoperated by the consumer 138, and therefore, learns that the consumer138 is nearby. Particular device operations are associated with aparticular state of the consumer 138. Then, based on a current operationbeing performed by the stationary consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108, the AI system determines whether the consumer 138 is in areceptive state (and is willing to participate in a query session), maybe an unreceptive state (and not willing to participates in a querysession), or optionally may be in an indeterminate state based on thecurrent operation of the device.

In such situations, the operation being performed by the stationarydevice is monitored, and particular operations that may be performed bythe stationary device are associated with the receptive state,unreceptive state or indeterminate state. These device operations, andtheir associated state, may be saved into the event/state pairingdatabase.

In practice, when the device is in use, operations currently beingperformed are monitored on a real time basis, near real time basis, orperiodically. The current operation is compared with the deviceoperation/state pairs stored in the event/state pairing database. If thecurrent operation corresponds to an operation stored in the event/statepairing database, then the associated state is accessed to determinewhether a query session or a query session invitation should beinitiated.

An exemplary stationary device is a set top box that receives andpresents media content events. One example operation is presentation ofa visual portion of the media content event on the display 232 and anaudible portion from the speaker(s) 234. Since it is generally notdesirable to interrupt presentation of the media content event, such anoperation is associated with the unreceptive state. Here, presentationof a query session or a query session invitation would not be initiated.

On the other hand, the current operation being performed by the set topbox may be presentation of a commercial, advertisement or the like. Or,there may be presentation of songs and/or gaps in the actor's dialogue.These particular operations may be associated with the receptive statebecause the consumer 138, when watching a commercial or anadvertisement, listening to a gap in dialogue, or listing to a song, ismost likely not a state that they should not be disturbed from. Thus, asa commercial or advertisement, a gap in dialogue, or a song is beingpresented to the consumer 138, then a query session or presentation of aquery session invitation may be initiated. Presentation of the querysession may conclude when presentation of the song, commercial oradvertisement ends.

As another example, the presentation of the opening and/or closingcredits for a media content event may be determined. Opening or closingcredits may be identified based on metadata or other informationincluded in the subject media content event. Alternatively, imageanalysis of the video content may be used to identify text that isassociated with the opening or closing credits. During the openingand/or closing credits, the consumer 138 may be presented with a querysession or a query session invitation.

In some instances, the operation may be related to the subject mediacontent event that a particular query session pertains to. For example,a particular media content event may be currently being presented on thedisplay 230. A particular presenting scene may be related to the subjectmedia content event. In another situations, the currently presentingmedia content event may be the same as the subject media content event.Here, during a specific portion of the currently presenting mediacontent event, current presentation of the media content event may beautomatically paused for initiation of a query session or presentationof a query session invitation. Presentation may automatically resumeafter conclusion of the query session and/or the query sessioninvitation.

Alternatively, a query session invitation may be presented duringcontinuing presentation of the media content event. If the consumer 138accepts, the presentation of the media content event is automaticallypaused and the query session is initiated. Presentation mayautomatically resume after conclusion of the query session.

In some situations, the state of the user may be determined based onpreference specifications previously made by the consumer 138. The usermay have defined a particular activity or event from which they arewilling to be disturbed from by a query session or a query sessioninvitation. For example, the consumer 138 may indicate that presentationof a commercial, advertisement or the like may be suitable for definingas a receptive state. As another example, the consumer 138 may indicatethat during the weather reports of a newscast program, that they are notto be disturbed by a query session or a query session invitation (suchthat this activity is defined to be an unreceptive state). During timeout periods of a broadcasting sporting event, the consumer 138 mayspecify that they might be willing to participate in a query session(such that this activity is defined as an indeterminate state).

In such embodiments, particularly in situations where the consumer 138has optionally specified their preferences, the currently broadcastingmedia content event may be monitored to identify particular activitiescurrently being presented to the consumer 138. Metadata of the mediacontent stream may be monitored to identify particular activitiescurrently being presented. Alternatively, or additionally, closedcaptioning text may be monitored to identify particular activitiescurrently being presented. If the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108 is not itself presenting a media content event, themicrophones may monitor the presented audible portion of the currentlypresenting media content event to identify particular activitiescurrently being presented (using a natural language identificationalgorithm). Alternatively, or additionally, if the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 is not itself presenting a media content event,the image capture device 218 may monitor the presented video portion ofthe currently presenting media content event to identify particularactivities currently being presented (using an image recognitionalgorithm). Alternatively, or additionally, the media presentationsystem itself may communicate information to the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 so that the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem 108 may identify particular activities currently being presented.

Summarizing, based on prior activities (location events) acquired by theconsumer conversation acquisition system 108, determination of currentlocation, detection of movement (motion, rate of movement, direction ofmovement), type of activity, time, use of a device, or the like isassociated with one of a receptive state (where the consumer 138 is mostlikely willing to participate in a query session), an unreceptive state(where the consumer 138 is most likely not willing to participates in aquery session), or optionally an indeterminate state (where the consumer138 may be inclined to transition into a receptive state). Theassociated information (current event/state, detection ofmovement/state, type of activity/state, time/state, use of adevice/state or the like) is then stored into an event/state pairingdatabase residing in a pairing information storage device 210.

In some embodiments, and preferably when the consumer conversationacquisition system 108 is portable or is implemented in a portabledevice that is in the possession of the consumer 138, an audio querysession or query session invitation is presented as audible soundsemitted by the speaker(s) 224. An example consumer conversationacquisition system 108 may implement the speaker(s) as ear buds,headphones, speaker ear pieces, or the like. Alternatively, thespeaker(s) 224 may emit sounds into the ambient environment which areheard by the consumer 138, such as from automobile speakers or mediapresentation system speakers.

The conversational avatar 102 may audibly present the questions and/orremarks using any suitable synthesized voice algorithm or generationsystem that can be understood by the consumer 138. Any suitable languagemay be used, and may optionally be selected based on a predefinedconsumer preference. The synthesized voice may emulate the voice of ageneric person, an animated character, a famous actor, or a friend orrelative of the consumer 138. Any suitable synthesized voice may be usedby the various embodiments. Further, the particular synthesized voicemay be particular to the currently presenting query session. Forexample, if the subject media content event is an animated-based mediacontent event, then the synthesized voice may emulate a selected one ofthe animated characters. As another example, if the subject mediacontent event is film-based media content event, then the synthesizedvoice may emulate a selected one of the actors of the media contentevent.

During a query session, various types of supplemental information may bepresented to the consumer 138 to help the consumer 138 recall theirexperiences when they consumed the subject media content event. Forexample, music, songs, dialogue, and/or other soundtrack portions fromthe subject media content event may be audible presented to the consumer138. Such audible sounds, in concert with related questions and/orcomments, would remind the consumer 138 of their experiences, andtherefore result in a more meaningful and relevant reply to thepresented questions and/or comments.

If the query session includes visual presentation of an animatedgraphical conversational avatar 102 on the display 226, 232, then theanimated graphical conversational avatar 102 may be inserted into aportion of the currently presenting media content event. The location ofthe presented animated graphical conversational avatar 102 may beselected so as to be minimally disruptive, such as in the backgroundand/or along the periphery of the currently presenting media contentevent. The presentation size of the animated graphical conversationalavatar 102 may also be defined so as to be minimally disruptive to thecurrently presenting media content event and/or to fit within somepreferred region of the currently presenting media content event.

Additionally, or alternatively, embodiments may present an object fromthe scene of the subject media content event. Preferably, the presentedobject is related to the question and/or comment that is currently beingpresented to the consumer 138. Further, an object recognitions algorithmcould be used to identify a particular object in a currently presentingmedia content event. Then, an object associated with the subject mediacontent event could be used to replace or be presented over theidentified object.

Additionally, or alternatively, the animated graphical conversationalavatar 102 could be the “object” that is placed over a person or actorthat is being presented in the currently presenting media content event.The position, orientation, and/or gestures made by the conversationalavatar 102 could be configured to match the position, orientation,and/or gestures of the replaced person or actor. Here, the questionsand/or comments audibly being presented by the conversational avatar 102would replace the audio portion of the currently presenting mediacontent event. As an example, the newscaster of a newscast program maybe replaced with the animated graphical conversational avatar 102. Theanimated graphical conversational avatar 102 may then audibly presentthe query session questions and/or comments (or the query sessioninvitation).

As noted herein, the query session questions and/or comments may bedetermined for a particular consumer 138. In some instances, theconsumer 138 may have recently consumed the subject media content event.Accordingly, the query session questions and/or comments may berelatively subtle (intuitive) and/or may be directly related to adescription of a particular scene, event and/or story line of thesubject media content event that the consumer 138 is likely to recallwith particularity. On the other hand, if the consumer 138 had consumedthe subject media content event a relatively long time ago, and thus maynot recall with a high degree of particularity details of the subjectmedia content event and/or their experiences, the query sessionquestions and/or comments may be more blunt and/or descriptive of thescene, event and/or story line of the subject media content event. Or,the query session questions and/or comments may bluntly ask the consumer138 about their observed reaction (which was previously acquired) to aparticular scene, event and/or story line during their originalconsumption of the subject media content event.

In some embodiments, a plurality of animated graphical conversationalavatars 102 may be presented to the consumer 138 during a query session.The audio portion of the query session may be configured so as toemulate a conversation among the different presented animated graphicalconversational avatars 102 and with the consumer 138.

In some instances, an animated graphical conversational avatar 102 maybe configured to emulate a close friend, or relative of the consumer138. Here, the consumer 138 may be enticed to give more honest andrelevant responses since they are among a group of friends and/orrelatives. Such embodiments may be particularly suited when theconversational avatar system 100 is coupled to, or integrated within, asocial media platform. And, the query session could be presented to theconsumer 138 using a 3-D virtual reality system so that the consumer 138experiences the query session in a virtual reality world.

Further, some embodiments may be configured to present a coordinatedquery session among multiple consumers 138. For example, if a 3-Dvirtual reality system is used to present a virtual world, then theconsumer 138 may be able to view the other consumers 138 as they areparticipating in and responding to the query session questions and/orcomments. Such applications of the conversational avatar system 100 thatsimulate a group roundtable environment may be particularly effectivewhen the other participating consumers 138 are friends or relatives. Insome situations, incentives may be offered so as to entice the pluralityof consumers 138 to participate in a coordinated query session.

In the various embodiments, the responses made by the consumer 138during the query session are acquired and then are stored. However, someembodiments may be additionally or alternatively configured to enablethe studio or a designated representative to monitor an ongoing querysession in real time. Here, the studio or the designated representativemay control the flow and/or direction of the line of questions and/orcomments that are being presented to the consumer 138 during the querysession. For example, the response of the consumer 138 may have not beenfully expressive of their reaction or experience to the scene, eventand/or story line of the subject media content event. Thus, the studioor representative may add supplemental questions and/or comments intothe query session to elicit a supplemental and/or clarifying responsefrom the consumer 138. As another example, if a “gap” in theconversation between the consumer 138 and the conversational avatar 102occurs during the query session, the studio or representative maymanually specify and interject questions and/or comments to stimulatethe continuing conversation between the consumer 138 and theconversational avatar 102.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of theconversational avatar system 100 are merely possible examples ofimplementations of the invention. Many variations and modifications maybe made to the above-described embodiments. All such modifications andvariations are intended to be included herein within the scope of thisdisclosure and protected by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for acquiring responses from a consumerpertaining to a subject media content event that has been previouslyconsumed by the consumer, the method comprising: determining a currentlocation of a consumer conversation acquisition system, wherein theconsumer conversation acquisition system is a mobile electronic deviceand the current location is determined with a global positioning system;accessing stored state information that identifies at least one of areceptive state of the consumer and an unreceptive state of theconsumer, wherein a plurality of locations are each associated withstate information for the consumer, and wherein the current location iscompared with the plurality of locations such that the associated stateinformation is accessed for the location that is the same as thedetermined current location; detecting sound using a microphone at thedetermined current location of the consumer conversation acquisitionsystem; determining a characteristic of the detected sound; determiningthat the consumer is in the receptive state when the characteristic ofthe detected sound is music; determining that the consumer is in theunreceptive state when the characteristic of the detected sound is anongoing conversation between the consumer and another person; presentinga query session to the consumer when the associated state informationfor the consumer is the receptive state, including presenting ananimated graphical conversational avatar on a display during the querysession, wherein the animated graphical conversational avatar appears tospeak the words of audible questions presented to the consumer via atleast one speaker that pertain to the subject media content event thatthe consumer has previously consumed; wherein a video portion of a mediacontent event is currently being presented on the display, wherein anaudio portion of the media content event is being presented from the atleast one speaker, and wherein presenting the animated graphicalconversational avatar on the display further comprises: identifying anobject being presented in the video portion of the currently presentmedia content event; overlaying the animated graphical conversationalavatar on the object being presented in the video portion of thecurrently present media content event; and replacing the audio portionof the media content event with the audible questions of the querysession; acquiring response information that corresponds to a responseof the consumer to each one of the presented audible questions of thequery session, wherein acquiring the response information to at leastone of the presented audible questions of the query session comprises:detecting sound with the microphone after presentation of the audiblequestion, wherein the detected sound includes a verbal response of theconsumer; detecting a physical response of the consumer with a biometricsensor after presentation of the audible question; capturing a video ora series of still images of the consumer with an image capture deviceafter presentation of the audible question; recording the detectedsound, the detected physical response and the captured video or a seriesof still images of the consumer, wherein the recorded sound, therecorded physical response and the recorded video or a series of stillimages of the consumer are time synchronized with each other; andassociating the recorded sound, the recorded physical response, and therecorded video or the series of still images of the consumer with thepresented audible question; and storing the acquired responseinformation for each of the presented audible questions.
 2. The methodof claim 1, wherein presenting the query session comprises: presentingat least one audible comment pertaining to the subject media contentevent, wherein the at least one audible comment is intended to elicit aresponse from the consumer; acquiring response information thatcorresponds to a response of the consumer to the at least one audiblecomment; and storing the acquired response information, wherein theacquired response information is associated with the presented audiblecomment.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein a commercial or anadvertisement of a presenting media content event is currently beingpresented on the display, wherein the commercial or an advertisementincludes a video portion that is currently being presented on thedisplay and an audio portion that is being presented from the at leastone speaker, and wherein presenting the animated graphicalconversational avatar on the display further comprises: presenting theanimated graphical conversational avatar on the display during theduration of the commercial or the advertisement; and replacing the audioportion of the commercial or the advertisement with the audiblequestions of the query session.
 4. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising, determining words spoken by the consumer from the recordedsound; and associating the determined words with the presented audiblequestion.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining anemotion of the consumer from the recorded physical response; andassociating the determined emotional response with the presented audiblequestion.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, determining anon-verbal response of the consumer from the captured video or a seriesof still images of the consumer; and associating the determinednon-verbal response with the presented audible question.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of locations isfurther associated with an activity that the consumer has been engagedin while at that particular location, and wherein the activity isassociated with one of the receptive state and the unreceptive state,the method further comprising: presenting the query session to theconsumer when the activity associated with the current location is thereceptive state.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of theplurality of locations is further associated with an activity that theconsumer has been engaged in while at that particular location, andwherein the activity is associated with one of the receptive state andthe unreceptive state, the method further comprising: not presenting thequery session to the consumer when the activity associated with thecurrent location is the unreceptive state, wherein the query session isnot presented even if the current location corresponds to the particularlocation that is associated with the receptive state.
 9. The method ofclaim 1, wherein prior to presenting the query session to the consumerwhen the associated state information for the consumer is the receptivestate, the method further comprising: determining that the consumer isin an indeterminate state; presenting a query session invitation to theconsumer in response to determining that the consumer is in theindeterminate state, wherein the query session invitation invites theconsumer to participate in the query session; receiving an acceptance ofthe query session invitation from the consumer, wherein the acceptanceindicates that the consumer is willing to participate in the querysession; and initiating presentation of the query session in response toreceiving the acceptance of the query session invitation.
 10. The methodof claim 9, further comprising: receiving a decline of the query sessioninvitation from the consumer, wherein the acceptance indicates that theconsumer is not willing to participate in the query session, wherein thequery session is not presented to the consumer in response to theconsumer declining the query session invitation.
 11. The method of claim1, further comprising: determining a current time of day concurrentlywith determining the current location of the consumer conversationacquisition system; comparing the current time of day with times of dayassociated with the receptive state and times of day associated with theunreceptive state; and determining that the consumer is in theunreceptive state when the current time of day matches times of dayassociated with the unreceptive state, wherein the query session is notpresented to the consumer.
 12. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: determining a current emotional state of the consumerconcurrently with determining the current location of the consumerconversation acquisition system, wherein the current emotional state ofthe consumer is determined based on biometric information received froma biometric sensor that is sensing a current condition of the consumer;comparing the current emotional state of the consumer with emotionalstates associated with the receptive state and emotional statesassociated with the unreceptive state; and determining that the consumeris in the unreceptive state when the current emotional state of theconsumer matches the emotional states associated with the unreceptivestate, wherein the query session is not presented to the consumer.